1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to thermal color printers, and relates in particular to a printing technology using a thermal printing medium (ink ribbon) based on heat sublimation type inks.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a Japanese Patent Application, First Publication, H05-301471, a printing technology is disclosed, based on the use of a multiple-print ink ribbon (permitting repeated printing from one ribbon) based on heat sublimation type inks. The multiple-print ink ribbon has a thick coating of heat sublimation type inks to enable repeated printing from the same ribbon. On the other hand, the single-print ink ribbon based on heat melting wax ink is made by applying a mixture of face coloring or carbon in a wax binder on a ribbon base material. When heat is applied to the coated ribbon, the binder wax melts and transfers all of the heated coating to a print object. Because the heat melting ink transfers all of the face coloring or carbon (black) to the print object upon melting of the wax, the ribbon is not capable of providing multiple printing, even if a thick coating is applied on the ribbon as is the case for the heat sublimation type inks.
In the present state of development of the thermal transfer type color printers, single-print ribbon printers are predominant in the marketplace, and multiple-print ribbons have not yet become a commercial reality. However, in using the multiple-print ribbons, it has been recognized that by arranging the relative movement of the ribbon with respect to the print base to be 1/N, for example, (where N is the number of times the multiple-point ribbon can be repeatedly used), ink consumption can be significantly reduced that the service life of the thermal transfer ribbon can be improved. There has therefore been a serious need to develop a thermal transfer type color printers that permits the use of a multiple-print ribbon.